Cremation, Is It Green

Cremation is when a body is burned until all that is left is dry ashes. It is considered by some to be more of a  green method of body disposition than a traditional burial. One reason for this is that fewer resources are used, there is no vault or large casket. Also, no land space is used for the final resting place. The use of chemicals for embalming can often be avoided as well.

Other people do not consider them to be very green. The reason is that fossil fuel is burned to accomplish the cremation. There are also pollutants released into the air during the cremation. If viewed on a scale, cremation would fall somewhere between a traditional burial and a natural burial on the green funeral scale.